Franklin House Children's Nursery

Inclusion: Expected standard

Leaders and staff support all children's individual needs effectively. They typically gather detailed information from parents and/or carers when children first start. This helps them to identify if children would benefit from further support. Children are typically supported effectively by knowledgeable staff. They identify where children may benefit from additional support and plan various interventions to help children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make the progress of which they are capable. Staff communicate with a range of professionals, such as health visitors, to ensure that children get the help that they need in a timely way. Leaders are typically aware of funding that they can access to support children and families and apply for this where applicable. Staff discuss how they plan to use this funding.

Children who face barriers to their learning, including those who are learning English as an additional language or those readjusting after periods of absence, receive individual support and reassurance. Staff work effectively with parents to develop a shared approach to supporting children's individual needs. Leaders provide tailored support for children who are known or previously known to children's social care. They work effectively with parents and/or carers and professionals to help children to benefit from their time in nursery. For instance, they adapt the days that children attend so that they can regulate their emotions following contact meetings.

Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard

Leaders have a well-thought-out curriculum that identifies what children need to learn over time. Staff help children to develop the skills that they need to prepare them to move to the next room in the nursery or the next stage in their learning. Staff working with babies help children to develop their independence as they learn to feed themselves and sometimes fasten their jackets. As children get older, they learn to use cutlery, drink from open-top cups and pour their own water. Leaders are aware that while staff usually identify what children need to learn next, this is not consistently well planned for. They have identified further training to develop staff skills further.

Staff place a high priority on babies' personal and social development and physical development. They provide activities for babies to explore paints outside alongside their friends, while others begin to pull themselves up. Activities such as these help the youngest children play alongside each other with increasing confidence.

Staff support children's communication and language effectively. They plan a range of enjoyable opportunities to help children to develop their vocabulary. For example, children thoroughly enjoy selecting song spoons and singing songs and nursery rhymes. Children under the age of 2, including those who face barriers to their learning, confidently join in with rhymes, such as 'Wind the Bobbin Up'. They sing the rhyme and beam as they join in with actions.

Achievement: Expected standard

All children, including those who face barriers to their learning and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make steady progress form their starting points. They develop a range of skills that support them in the next stage of their learning. For example, 2-year-old children listen during group activities and join in with repeated refrains of songs and rhymes. Children become confident communicators. They count with numbers in order. During the inspection, children in the 'tots' room help staff to count the number of children present.

Babies develop their physical skills. For example, they have the space to crawl and pull themselves up on furniture. Toddlers develop their core muscle skills as they stand next to low-level furniture to explore paints. They begin to use their imaginations as they play with baby dolls. They copy what staff do as they pretend to change dolls' nappies, feed them and take them for walks or put them to bed.

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines: Expected standard

Leaders have reviewed the routines in the nursery, and children typically benefit from consistent and predictable routines. This supports children to prepare for and anticipate what will happen next. Two-year-old children wash their hands as soon as they come in from outside. They sit down at the table and wait for their lunch.

Children generally develop positive attitudes to their learning. They concentrate intently as they play with blocks. They happily play alongside staff as they build and explore how they can balance the blocks to create structures. Other children are engrossed as they play alongside their friends, exploring what happens when they mix paint and foam together. Staff work with parents to overcome any barriers to attendance. This includes adapting session times to help children to enjoy their time at the nursery.

Staff have clear expectations, and children follow the expectations confidently. For instance, children in the 'tots' room line up ready to go outside. They wait at the top of the stairs so that staff can help them down the stairs safely. Staff respond and deal with any behaviour incidents that occur. For example, when toddlers spit out their water and laugh, staff respond immediately with 'no, thank you'. They then tell children to 'swallow' and supervise them carefully to ensure they follow these expectations.

Children's welfare and wellbeing: Needs attention

Leaders have clear policies and procedures, but these are not always implemented effectively. For example, on the day of the inspection, procedures for the sanitisation of a dummy were not followed. In addition, risk assessments in the outside area did not identify that rainwater left in the paddling pool was a risk to children's health and welfare.

Babies develop effective bonds with staff. Staff are on hand to provide support and reassurance to babies, particularly those who are returning after time off for holidays with family. Staff focus on children's wellbeing. They discuss any changes in children's routines and likes and dislikes with parents so that they can support children's individual needs effectively. They communicate effectively with parents to support those who experience any barriers to their learning. This includes altering the hours of attendance for children who are struggling to settle.

Children enjoy a range of healthy meals with fruit and vegetables. Children typically manage their own personal hygiene. For example, they wash their hands before eating and after playing outside.

Staff place a high priority on babies' personal and social development and physical development. They provide activities for babies to explore paints outside alongside their friends while others begin to pull themselves up. Activities such as these help the youngest children play alongside each other with increasing confidence.

Leadership and governance: Expected standard

There have been significant changes in the leadership team and staffing structures since the nursery opened. Leaders have identified that there are still areas for development. They have clear plans in place to support staff to plan for children's next steps in learning even more effectively. When leaders identify areas for improvement, they take effective action. For example, they identify where changes can be made to induction procedures to ensure staff fully understand their role and consistently adhere to policies and practices.

Leaders provide effective support to develop staff's knowledge and skills. For instance, staff who are new to a room lead role develop their expertise in this area through further training. Leaders typically support staff wellbeing and workload. For example, they take time to listen and support staff. Strategies, such as 'employee of the month' help to boost staff morale.

Leaders and staff work exceptionally well with parents and carers. They place a high priority on children's wellbeing and work particularly well to support children who face barriers to their learning or those who are known to children's social care.

Staff work with parents to develop a consistent approach to supporting children's communication and language. Parents value the focus on children's wellbeing and feel their children thrive as a result of this.